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Friday, October 19, 2018
BC Legal Online Pot Sales Open For Business
Here is the link for BC's Government Online Cannabis Store. All varieties are home grown right here in BC. As part of the roll out, previous convictions for simple possession of small quantities of cannabis are being pardoned.
Yes they will make more money but hopefully it will be steered to Canada's medical care and education systems. Other jurisdictions (Colorado) have made so much tax revenue they hardly knew what to do with it all. It is a voluntary tax that hopefully will reduce our non-voluntary taxes.
Milton Friedman, a great Economist from the University of Chicagoi (now deceased), said years ago that the US should do exactly what Canada has done. By doing so, he said it takes the profit from the black market and the cartels and, therefore, it takes the violence and death out of fighting over turf for distribution of cannabis products.
However, at present, we have a war going on between the states of Colorado and Washington and the US federal government over these states' production of cannabis plants. When on federal property (say a US national park), some form of harassment by the government occurs to people owning these businesses or traveling the US outside these states.
At least in Canada it was done nationally, not province by province. We are still not allowed to take the product across provincial boundaries. But then again, we are not allowed to take a dead body across provincial boundaries. I had to smuggle both my mom and dad's ashes between BC and Alberta in my luggage.
Croft, so sorry you had to do that; government should not put additional stress on grieving families. Not sure that is a law in the States. When my mom and dad passed on, we had relatives in the mortuary business to transport them from South Carolina to rural Georgia, so not much paperwork for us to handle.
I have my reservations,while I do approve of medical marijuana,I can't condone recreational use.....As more U.S. states legalize marijuana, a debate is growing around whether greater availability of cannabis products is causing an increase in auto accidents. A report Thursday from a highway-safety research group supports the camp that believe the two are linked.
The idea of marijuana being a "gateway drug" has pretty much been dismissed. I know of hundreds of casual pot smokers who have never gone through the gateway and the couple who did would have anyway.
Canada also has "road checks" where they block roads and check everyone for alcohol or drug use. Probable cause is not required in Canada, if you are driving you can be stopped and tested.
I saw the same so-called report. Interestingly, they said many instances included a mix of alcohol. It also matters which report and who is sponsoring the report. https://www.civilized.life/articles/car-accidents-legal-marijuana/
Richard and Bill make some very good points. Of course, we must take a look at how much and how the raw data was gathered and clear and objective manipulation of the data in order to come to unbiased conclusions.
Data manipulation aside,I'm just saying I'd feel better if I knew an impaired driver could be recognized and prosecuted just as an alcohol dui driver can be tested by law enforcement.
They have such a device. It uses a cheek swab to test your saliva and will be used in roadside stop-checks. The rules that apply to breathalyzers will also apply to the saliva tester.
The whole thing is a big over-reaction. Those who smoked it prior to October 17th will be smoking it after October 17th. Those who drove stoned prior to October 17th, will likely do it again after October 17th. I'm almost as tired of hearing about this as I am about Trump!
Once again, Canada is in the forefront of common sense legislation.
ReplyDeleteI think it's great. I don't smoke it but I fully support this move. I have nothing against it, I just don't like the feeling I get from it.
DeleteSeveral states in the US beat Canada to it. Now if only the feds would do the same.
DeleteYup it is here and the government will make more money.
ReplyDeleteYes they will make more money but hopefully it will be steered to Canada's medical care and education systems. Other jurisdictions (Colorado) have made so much tax revenue they hardly knew what to do with it all. It is a voluntary tax that hopefully will reduce our non-voluntary taxes.
DeleteMilton Friedman, a great Economist from the University of Chicagoi (now deceased), said years ago that the US should do exactly what Canada has done. By doing so, he said it takes the profit from the black market and the cartels and, therefore, it takes the violence and death out of fighting over turf for distribution of cannabis products.
DeleteHowever, at present, we have a war going on between the states of Colorado and Washington and the US federal government over these states' production of cannabis plants. When on federal property (say a US national park), some form of harassment by the government occurs to people owning these businesses or traveling the US outside these states.
At least in Canada it was done nationally, not province by province. We are still not allowed to take the product across provincial boundaries. But then again, we are not allowed to take a dead body across provincial boundaries. I had to smuggle both my mom and dad's ashes between BC and Alberta in my luggage.
DeleteCroft, so sorry you had to do that; government should not put additional stress on grieving families. Not sure that is a law in the States. When my mom and dad passed on, we had relatives in the mortuary business to transport them from South Carolina to rural Georgia, so not much paperwork for us to handle.
DeleteI have my reservations,while I do approve of medical marijuana,I can't condone recreational use.....As more U.S. states legalize marijuana, a debate is growing around whether greater availability of cannabis products is causing an increase in auto accidents. A report Thursday from a highway-safety research group supports the camp that believe the two are linked.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of marijuana being a "gateway drug" has pretty much been dismissed. I know of hundreds of casual pot smokers who have never gone through the gateway and the couple who did would have anyway.
DeleteCanada also has "road checks" where they block roads and check everyone for alcohol or drug use. Probable cause is not required in Canada, if you are driving you can be stopped and tested.
I saw the same so-called report. Interestingly, they said many instances included a mix of alcohol.
DeleteIt also matters which report and who is sponsoring the report.
https://www.civilized.life/articles/car-accidents-legal-marijuana/
Richard and Bill make some very good points. Of course, we must take a look at how much and how the raw data was gathered and clear and objective manipulation of the data in order to come to unbiased conclusions.
DeleteData manipulation aside,I'm just saying I'd feel better if I knew an impaired driver could be recognized and prosecuted just as an alcohol dui driver can be tested by law enforcement.
DeleteRichard, totally agree. Anyone who could convince citizens or law makers otherwise I would employ to sell ice to an Eskimo! Ha!
DeleteThey have such a device. It uses a cheek swab to test your saliva and will be used in roadside stop-checks. The rules that apply to breathalyzers will also apply to the saliva tester.
DeleteThe whole thing is a big over-reaction. Those who smoked it prior to October 17th will be smoking it after October 17th. Those who drove stoned prior to October 17th, will likely do it again after October 17th. I'm almost as tired of hearing about this as I am about Trump!
ReplyDeleteThe idea that vice needs to be a government problem , seems a little outdated to me, a good start Mr. Croft
ReplyDelete